This is a Sonic
by XToxicX
Summary: After the events of Journey's End, it's another day for the Doctor, one that he'll never forget. He resumes his travelling adventures, but while things get more whacky when he meets a cocky blue hedgehog and his friends, they certainly do not get more lax.
1. Chapter 1

Alone again.

That's how he felt once he had entered the old, blue, yet ever reliable police box. Everyone had returned home.

But he had no home to go back to.

Could be worse, he supposed. He could be suffering another one of those nasty Dalek lasers. Maybe shock from the Ood, or some dominator of televisions. Maybe even empty children chasing him around asking that same question: 'Are you my mummy?' with that trademark, nothing-short-of-terrifying gas mask.

But nah, he didn't care… never really cared about himself. It was always the others…

He grimaced as his hand rested on a lever, staring at it with soft, worn eyes as he remembered back at least an hour ago.

Daleks. Davros. Donna. Sarah. Warp star. Jack. Martha. Nuclear warheads. Rose. Doctor Donna…

It was a grand old adventure. Fighting Daleks? Extremely nostalgic, extremely. And Davros… well, reunions couldn't get any better, he guessed. The whole gang was there, and it was one brilliant party (sadly without bananas). And Rose… oh, Rose, she was as brilliant as ever. Everyone was brilliant. And Donna, too, as modest as she was…

Frowning, the man looked down, closing his eyes as he let go of the lever, his hand falling to his side. He recalled what he had had to do to Donna… as much as he had hated doing it to her, he had to, for her own safety…

Making his way towards the door, and strolling quite slowly and almost sluggishly, he contemplated how differently things could have turned out if he had gotten there faster… how many more lives would have been saved on that planet… Perhaps Donna wouldn't have had to do what she did… perhaps…

But fate was as unavoidable as breathing oxygen. Donna Noble, the most important woman in the universe…

He stopped at the door, putting his hand on the handle before glancing back at his domain.

At least he saw Rose again…

But things were always too good to be true for him…

Immortality: the curse of the timelords… and that normally meant you got complimentary plate of loneliness on the side.

He was okay with it. Really.

 _Same old tune… I'll live._

The door was opened once again, and the Doctor stepped out onto soft, lush grass. He was stood on a ledge, the TARDIS settled next to a cement path to his left.

Pulling a key out of his brown, coat pocket, he inserted the object into the lock, turning it and ensuring only he could enter as he put the key away again.

Rubbing his neck, he examined his surroundings, then paused. He heard voices…

"C'mon, buddy-boy! Just one more?"

"I'm not your 'buddy'—so don't get mushy with me, Faker, because I won't put up with it. I've already raced you twenty times now."

"Yeah, but they're all TIES. One of us has gotta' win, you know, _buddy_!"

There was a low growl of annoyance. "Did you mishear me?"

"Nooooope! I just chose not to listen to that bit," the other voice remarked snarkily. "Now, we gonna' leg it to grass and beyond, or what?"

"Yes. Just hurry up and—…"

"…? Huh? What's up, old pal?"

"Old," the voice grouched. He then answered, hesitantly, "…I feel something."

"Oh, uh, really? Maybe it was a satanic demon from another timeline. Oooooooo!" Ghost noises were made.

"No. It's different…"

"I don't feel anything."

"You're not sensitive to energy like I am. This is something big…"

The Doctor blinked at this, and he eyed his old friend.

 _Well, either someone's got a technological leak or someone is extremely perceptive…_

Walking to the edge of the ledge, the Doctor peered down. Two anthropomorphic creatures were stood below. There was one the colour of cobalt, stretching; it seemed to be a hedgehog. Once he looked close enough, both were hedgehogs, if the spines weren't an obvious giveaway. The Doctor would be a fool to miss those.

The other… the other was looking around, avoiding the gaze of the other—or blatantly ignoring him and his sets of dialogue.

"Maybe it's nothing, Shadow. I mean, I don't see any evil plans made by Eggmen and Metal Sonics and genies and wizards or anything. And trust me, hehe, I see those a MILLLLEEE away."

The other was definitely ignoring him, seemingly intent on finding the source of what he was detecting. His black and red colour-scheme blurred ever so slightly as his head darted around the area, red eyes scanning almost eternally. Then… he looked up.

Oh, boy, did the Doctor feel awkward.

"…You…" 'Shadow' muttered.

"Yep, it's me," the man responded in a chipper tone, waving at the hedgehog. "Anthropomorphs, eh? Seen your species quite a bit, ever so interesting, especially the genetical bits. By the way, I'm the Doctor!"

The blue hedgehog blinked, then glanced at Shadow.

"Bravo. You detected a medical service: certified sign you need help!"

"…" The black hedgehog glared at his rival. "Shut it. I felt it, and I still feel it now."

"Sorry, couldn't help overhearing, feel what, exactly?" the Doctor asked, peering over.

"Nothing of your concern, human."

"Ohhhh, human?" the Doctor gave an awkward grin. "Wellllll, isn't this awkward…"

" **What's awkward?"**

The man almost jumped; miraculously, the blue hedgehog was in front of him, and not a single bit out of breath! Although he did feel an almost instant breeze.

"…Oooh… Look at that speed…" the Doctor gasped in fascination. "OOHHHH, you're brilliant, you are!"

"Well, eheh, I try my best," the blue hedgehog replied with a look of arrogance, smirking.

"Don't inflate his ego," the deep voice snapped, owner earning a glare from the blue blur. The black hedgehog was now up the hill, looking at his other in annoyance. He decided to walk rather than show off.

Immediately, his expression changed, and his gaze shot to the police phone box at the side of the path.

"…"

 _I can still feel it… is it coming from in there…?_

The Doctor watched him with an intrigued expression. Could he really feel it…? He certainly didn't seem to be looking at the TARDIS for nothing. Normally, anyone would dismiss it. That was mankind's routine with it, anyway. Humans didn't question it… but this hedgehog…

"So, uh, Doctor, right? What didja' mean by 'awkward'?"

"Ah, it's nothing, really. Just don't get the tag a lot."

"Really?" he asked, giving a deadpan expression. "Well, if not, I'd give up on Shadow, grumpy guts over here—"

The aforementioned Shadow glared at the hedgehog, expression that of disapproval and certainly unhappy.

"He'll give you that tag for eternity, literally. Unless he respects you. Like he respects me." The hedgehog snickered and flashed Shadow a playful grin.

"I respect you only in your racing ability, Faker. You're able to keep up with me," Shadow grumbled.

"More like the other way around."

"Hang on," the Doctor responded, squinting.

"Yeah?"

"Did you say eternity?"

"Oh! Uh, yeah! Shads here got the potential to be here longer than any of us. Something to do with his genetics or something…"

"I was created with immortality and an immunity to all forms of disease, if that's even important," Shadow grumbled, a bit bitter at his companion wailing out on all his secrets.

"What? What was that for?" the man asked, looking elsewhere with his eyes and in thought. "…Immortality for man? Curing a disease, maybe?"

"…"

"Faker doesn't like to talk about it," the blue hedgehog grumbled. "We just leave him be. He's had a bad time."

"Bad is an understatement," Shadow spat.

"Ohh…" the man stared at Shadow for a second. "…I've seen that look."

"…What look?" Shadow asked defensively, narrowing his eyes.

The Doctor's expression grew grim, his look one that spelled 'you know full well what I'm talking about'.

"But, let's not dwell on it!" the man was chipper again. "Your lot's lives been fun at all?"

"Yeah! Me and Shadow have been racing up and down here like no tomorrow!" the blue hedgehog grinned.

"Yes, and like a hyperactive five year old, he refuses to let it go…" Shadow grumbled, still eyeing the Doctor cautiously.

"…You and Shadow—hang on. What was your name again?"

"Didn't say," Sonic shrugged, then flashed a grin. "But I'm Sonic! Sonic the Hedgehog!"

"Sonic? Did you say _Sonic?_ Really?"

"The one and only!" the famous hero smirked proudly.

"Ohhh, that's ironic… I've got a Sonic."

"…you haven't been travelling back in time and stealing classic versions of me, have you?" Sonic squinted suspiciously.

"Of course not!" the man responded, then he pulled something out of his pocket. It looked like a screw driver. "This. This, Sonic, is a Sonic."

"That isn't a Sonic. I'm a Sonic. And there's only one of me."

"Oh, but there's lots of these! …probably." He pocketed it. "And, it's most definitely, absolutely, a Sonic."

Sonic blinked, then shrugged.

 _Whatever…_

"Hey, Doc? You said that was your name, right?"

"The Doctor, yes."

"…why the name?"

"Because it's cool. Next question: why has your friend gone so quiet? Annddd he's gone right near the TARDIS, hasn't he—?"

"…TARDIS?" Sonic asked in confusion. He looked at the police box. Shadow was eyeing it.

"It's in here… and since he named it…"

Shadow stared at the Doctor.

"What are you hiding?" he demanded. "There's—"

"Energy in there, I know. I won't lie to you. It's clear enough you see a bit more than the other people on this planet."

"What is it?" the black hedgehog stared at him with a wary expression.

"Well, it's the soul."

"The soul of what?"

"It's called the Heart of the TARDIS… lots of energy. Not meant to stare at it for too long."

"And why do YOU have something like that?"

"I'm very special."

"So am I."

"Great, let's have a Special Immortals anonymous meeting!"

"You're not funny."

"I usually am… but given what you've been through…"

Shadow was silent, but he was giving a warning glare to the man.

"Look, I'm sorry, Shadow. Whatever you've been through. I get it, really."

"Right," Shadow responded sarcastically. "Is this thing dangerous?"

"In the wrong hands? Yes. Yes, it is."

"Better not look now, then, cos it's gonna' be in the wrong hands!" Suddenly, Sonic rushed off.

"…What?"

"OH-HOHOHOHOHOHO!"

Suddenly, a claw shot down from the sky, wrapping its metal talons around the box and gripping it tightly.

" _What_?!"

The Doctor squinted at a round vehicle in the sky. It looked like a rather obese man… with a mustache…

 _Santa Claus?_

" _ **WHAT**_?!"


	2. Chapter 2

"Doctor!" Shadow snarled, his fists tensed.

"What? I'm busy."

"Not you…" Shadow muttered.

An obese man was sat in the vehicle, and he peered down, a pair of blue goggles staring at Shadow and the other random guy he didn't know.

"Oh, well, well, well! Hello, Shadow! How are you? Nice weather we're having today, isn't it?"

"Put that down, Doctor!"

"Hrmm. But I haven't even lifted an inch!"

The claw suddenly hoisted the TARDIS into the air.

The Doctor's eyes narrowed.

"Oh, no. Ohhhh, no, no, no. You are not having that!"

"Huh?" Shadow blinked, then stared at the man in slight surprise.

The Doctor ran up to the TARDIS, then stopped when he realized it was too late to put the key in and get inside. He'd be able to move her easily…

"Excuse me, I know this isn't polite, but do you REALIZE WHAT THAT EVEN IS?!"

"Something with LOTS of energy. Very complicated! _You wouldn't understand_."

The Doctor gave a deadpan expression.

"Well, if we're going to do that… mind a hitch-hiker?"

 _Thanks, Jack._

The Doctor jumped up, and was suddenly hugging the phone box, gripping it tightly.

"Ngh!" the man growled, then the claw shook, trying to ward the man below off his prize. "Get off! No freeloading!"

"Welllll, technically it isn't freeloading considering who it belongs to—"

"Wow, you actually think I care, don't you?" Eggman deadpanned.

"Hey, Eggman!" a voice snarkily hummed behind him. "Got room for one more?"

The scientist turned around, then yelped when a pair of green eyes were butting in front of his face.

"WAAHHH?! Pesky little rat! Get off!"

Sonic pouted with a glare, hands on his hips. "I'm not a rat! I'm a—!"

Jerking a lever forward, the man's machine shifted to the left violently, and the blue hedgehog almost toppled over.

"-Whhoooaaaa!"

The Doctor glanced up, blinking at the pair. Sonic was now hanging off the rim of the machine, and Eggman was yelling incomprehensible curses. He didn't bother to listen to that, though; what mattered was the TARDIS…

Although, as he stared up at Sonic, he had a metaphorical lightbulb. He grinned, then gripped his blue box tightly before moving his hand down to his pocket. Rooting through it, he ground his teeth as he struggled to stay on, then, finally, pulled out the Sonic screwdriver. Pointing it up at the Egg-mobile, he began, both serious and humorous:

"Might want to put down the box, sir. See, electronics get REAL frisky—"

"Oh, please!" the scientist rolled his eyes behind his goggles. "Not around ME. Do you know who you're talking TO?"

"—when I press this button. Really shouldn't interrupt me when I'm saying something important."

Suddenly, a buzzing sound drilled through the air, and, out of its owner's control, the Egg-Mobile slowly started lowering to the ground.

"WHAT?!" Eggman yelled, then started pressing loads of buttons and pulling levers, sadly to no avail. "The controls…! THEY AREN'T DOING ANYTHING?!"

Sonic blinked, then snickered slightly; he dropped down on top of the TARDIS.

"WHA… WHAT?!" the evil genius demanded, "What are you doing?!"

"Getting my TARDIS back," the Doctor responded with a grin. "Of course, if you don't want to be reprimanded when—and that's when, not if—you get back down here, you can always just let it go."

"Nngghhh…"

The scientist's mouth formed a hateful scowl. He'd been outdone… by something so small and a man no less?! It was enough being foiled by teenagers with absurdly annoying powers! But this…!

"FINE!" he growled, then pressed a button.

The phone box dropped to the floor.

"Wha?!" Sonic flailed his arms.

The Doctor's grip tightened on the box as it fell, and then stepped back onto the path.

Thankfully it wasn't as high up, so didn't suffer much damage.

"But don't think you've won this, stranger!"

"Call me the Doctor," was his response. "But until you surprise me, I probably will, Daleks doing it before and all that jazz. Sorry about that."

He let go of the button, and once again, the controls were free of restriction. Eggman glared down at the man, before shooting off in the vehicle. He had plotting to do…

Sonic jumped down to the ground, then blinked at the Doctor.

"Well, that's one way to send Egghead packing," he muttered, then he snickered with a smirk. "Guess he's beaten by ANY kind of Sonic, huh? Poor guy."

Shadow had been observing from nearby, and he stared at the screwdriver in the Doctor's hand.

"…that technology isn't common. Nor that amount of energy," he stated, clearing his throat.

"Good at observing, you, aren't you?" the Doctor asked, glancing at the black hedgehog and pocketing the screwdriver. "That's what I like so far about you. Apart from you being, well, kind of depressing—"

Shadow shot him a glare.

"—not that that's a bad thing… I've lived through it too…" he trailed awkwardly, deciding to stop there. "…Others? They normally don't question this. But you did. You're very special indeed."

Shadow blinked, then narrowed his eyes.

"What are you?"

"Mrmmm, groups of molecular cells? Lots of elements all bunched together?" the Doctor hummed, putting his hands in his pockets. "Matter?"

"You sound like my buddy a bit…" Sonic grumbled, rubbing his ear sheepishly.

The black hedgehog stared sternly at the supposed human.

"Ooh, your friend's a scientist?" the Doctor asked with a light-hearted grin, then cringed. "Not a rubbish one is he? Or one coinciding with Sontarans?"

"…Ermmm… nooo…?" Sonic blinked, then shrugged. "He knows his stuff…"

"That's good. Science is good. Science is… brilliant." The timelord nodded. "Not if you get it wrong, though."

"Doctor."

"Yeah, like that fellow—"

"I was talking to _you_ ," Shadow spat.

"Well, differentiate!" the Doctor huffed, folding his arms and lowering one eyebrow. "Not going to know who you're talking to if there's two Doctors. Although I'd be surprised if that one even has a phD…"

"If I'm looking at _you_ , and saying your _name, I'm talking to you_ ," Shadow growled. "What are you?"

"And I said, 'groups of'—"

"Don't be smart with me," Shadow hissed quietly. "Stop answering indirectly and tell me."

"…" The Doctor sighed. "Timelord."

"Timelord?"

"Lord of time…?" Sonic blinked. "What do you do, make sure certain people get killed or something?"

He looked uncomfortable at that.

"Because that's no good…"

"Depends on the person, but no," the Doctor muttered, not seeming willing to talk about it. "I travel through time. That's all you need to know."

"Why did you come here?" Shadow asked, sounding a slight bit defensive.

"Like I said. Just travelling. Just passing through," the man replied, shrugging. "Just… didn't count on Grand Theft TARDIS." He rubbed the back of his neck with a displeased expression.

"So, you didn't know that was going to happen?" Sonic asked.

"Never been here before. Where are we, anyway?"

"The United States," Shadow replied, lowly. "Outside Westopolis."

"Oh! Change from good ol' London! Not a good one, though…"

"Why?"

The Doctor gave a slight expression of malice. "Guns. More common around here. I don't like them."

"You said it, guy," Sonic responded, shuddering. "Wouldn't be caught dead with those things. Man, don't know how people can use them…"

"Like me?" Shadow shot, staring at the blue hedgehog ominously.

"Except you. You're hostile as heck," Sonic deadpanned.

"And that is supposed to mean…?"

"Well, you two are best friends, aren't you?"

"Best pals for life!" Sonic snickered.

"Rivals," Shadow corrected, sounding annoyed.

"You keep saying that, but I ain't listening."

"SONIC!" a voice yelled in the distance.

"…?"

The Doctor turned his head to see a yellow animal running towards them.

"Ooh, a two-tailed fox?!" he grinned. "Said it once. I'll say it again. Your species is brilliant."

"Tails?" Sonic blinked. He ran towards his buddy.

Shadow was still watching him, watching and glaring.

"Y-you've got to come!" Tails skidded to a stop, panting. "Th-there's something…! Something's attacking the other side of Westopolis! It's… it's…"

"Slow down, buddy," Sonic soothed gently. "Take it easy…"

Tails took a deep breath, then finished, "…I don't know what it is! Seriously, I don't! But we're not getting any further with it! GUN is trying to combat it, but… but… the bullets are going right through!"

The timelord present couldn't help but feel disgust for the mention of guns again. He really wished humans wouldn't solve problems like that…

"We n-need you and Shadow to go stop it! And…! ...Oh, cool, a police box."

"Got it," Sonic responded with a nod, then ruffled the fox's fur. "We'll see you in the Tornado, right?"

"Wouldn't miss it!" the kitsune nodded with a determined set of blue eyes.

"Hey, Doc? You chill a bit, okay? We gotta' go sort something. Hero stuff and all that."

The Doctor's expression was hardly chill. He seemed serious and conflicted.

"C'mon, Shadow! Time to go kick bu—HEY! YOU GOT A HEAD START!" Sonic yelled. Shadow was long since gone. Sonic bolted in the direction he had left.

Tails was about to turn around to fly towards his plane nearby, but he was stopped by a hand. He looked back, seeing a man in a blue suit.

"…Uh… hi…" he muttered sheepishly.

"What was it?" the Doctor asked, seriously, staring at the fox with a solemn expression.

"What?"

"The creature. The one everyone's on about. What was it like? Did you see it? See any behaviour or anything? What language did it speak?"

"It was all… liquid-like, I think. It changed its form a lot, and dodged lots of bullets. I'm not sure if it even feels anything…" Tails then frowned. "I'm not sure about the language. It just kept screaming the same thing, over and over again… It sounded angry…"

"…Angry?" the Doctor asked inquisitively.

 _If it's angry, maybe I can calm it down… Maybe it doesn't have to act like this… Humans probably did something_ brilliant _again…_

"What was it saying?"

The kitsune looked down, frowning.

" _Iblis_."


	3. Chapter 3

He was slumped against a wall, his eyes closed as his fingers twitched. He felt nothing—he only felt numbness. His ears ever so slightly perked as a voice called out to him. The voice was distant, and most certainly persistent.

"…He…y!"

Moving his muscles slowly, his eyelids flickered ever so slightly, and his vision blurred. Something was in front of him, shaking him by his very shoulders.

"…Are… y… okay…?!"

He stared blankly at the person in front of him. As the blur faded, he saw hints of messy brown, green, and pale orange. A thin structure. Beaten skin… full of scratches. Torn jeans, old shirt...

"…Mister? Are… awake…?"

His hearing missed out several words. Everything was sore, even his hearing ability. It would soon pass, however…

Green eyes opened fully, and he stared vacantly at a human girl. Who was she…? And what was she doing?

"Oh, thank God!" she exclaimed, smiling in relief. "Geez, you scared me there for a second!"

"…Who…?" he spoke his first word, but could not finish it. He sounded confused and disorientated.

"I'm Sienna, but that isn't really important. You've been out for a while, now. Out in the rain, too!"

Looking down, he noticed his dark grey fur was rough, scruffy, and a tiny bit damp.

"I got real worried, so I dragged you in here, so you didn't get pneumonia or anything. It really sucks."

"Here…?"

He glanced around meekly, then noticed it was an old, rusty roof, surrounded by crates with a few bed sheets.

"Yuh-huh! It's where I live!" she smiled chipperly. "Might be a leak over there, but I get by."

Now that his senses focused a little more, he could hear a constant dripping sound.

"What were you doing out there? Do you remember?" she asked, frowning. "You were out cold and just lying there…"

He paused, then frowned slightly. "I… don't…"

"…?" Blinking in confusion, she stared at him. "Whoa…"

"…What?"

"You don't have a mouth! That's… cool!" She chuckled.

"'Cool'…?" he repeated, then sighed quietly. "That isn't… unnerving?"

"Hey, you're speaking a bit now! Must not be so bad, huh?" she asked, smiling. "And no! I've seen scarier, trust me! My nightmares just consist of violence…"

"Violence?" he asked, tilting his head. He recalled most humans were scared of the unknown, but this…

"Yeah. Way back, I lived with my family and stuff. We… didn't really get on. And after a day, it got so bad, and I had to leave…"

She looked down sadly.

"Sucks, really, but it's better than suffering your whole life, right?"

"…" He said nothing in response to that. He seemed to be focusing on something else entirely now.

"Been out here for, what, two years?" She shrugged. "I don't have a calendar… most I do is scavenging. Almost got caught a couple of times, and I've moved a lot… What about you?"

Ears pricking, he looked at her again.

"…?"

"Do you have a home?"

"…I don't…" he muttered, then stopped there. "…Sceptre…?"

"A sceptre?" she asked in confusion, then giggled. "Geez, you'd have to be so small for that! At least it's better than a crummy old shelter…"

"No. It's worse…"

"…Huh?"

He ignored her.

She frowned slightly, then twiddled her thumbs, sitting down in front of him. Now that he noticed, she was sat on the mud, and he was sat on a mat… Such a tiny detail, but was she really so selfless…? Humans were stupid, selfish, and weak…

"Y'know, it's nice to have company that isn't the law," she replied, grinning a bit. "It's kinda like a sleepover, huh? I remember those…"

"…"

"…You… don't talk much, do you?" she questioned, then bit her lip. "I'm sorry. I just don't get to talk to people… I'll shut up if you want."

"It's not that," he answered, staring down at the dirt.

"Oh?"

"You say I was out cold. Weak. That would imply something happened to me. I know something did, but… I can't remember the details…" he muttered.

"Amnesia?" She rubbed the back of her neck. "What do you remember?"

"I'd rather not say," he grumbled.

 _Especially not to someone like you._

"Okay then. Just trying to help."

"I don't require assistance," he muttered.

She nodded awkwardly, then hugged her legs. To him, this was a very strange position. What was she doing…?

Upon noticing a shiver, it hit him, and he rolled his eyes at something so simple escaping him. But lots of things were escaping him at this moment.

"You're cold?"

"Y-yeah. I don't have sweaters or blankets or anything, and it's worse in the winter, honestly. I'm used to it."

"How old are you?" he asked, almost with a hint of curiousity.

"Fourteen," she replied, smiling meekly. "Fifteen in the next May. Whenever that is…"

 _Humph. Human spawn hasn't died yet, then… impressive…_

"How old are you?"

"…" He was silent for a second. How old was he…? "…Ten…"

He wasn't about to say a thousand years—it could provoke suspicion, even if she was oblivious…

"Wow, so you're a kid? But you look so much older!"

"I receive that reply a lot."

Suddenly, a noise sounded. It was rumbling, and it was coming from her stomach.

"Oh!"

"What?"

"…I was actually going to share some food with you, even if it was a little, but…" she trailed off impishly. "Kinda complicated when you haven't got the hole for it…"

"Even so, I wouldn't need sustenance," he replied, tone monotonous.

"Sustenance…?" she asked in confusion.

He stared at her. "… Nourishment."

"Oh…" she muttered.

"Did you not have education?"

"I missed school a lot… but I really do love it…" she muttered. "I didn't skip school on purpose… I was kept in a lot…"

"Hmm…"

"…Hey, um, mister?"

"Yes?" he sighed.

"What's your name, by the way?"

"…I…" he seemed thoughtful for a moment, then replied, "…Mephiles."

"That name sounds so cool!" she grinned.

… _Mephiles is short for Mephistopheles… a demon in german folklore… You should have really gone to school…_

"I suppose," he replied dismissively.

"Hey, y'know what, Mephiles?" she asked chipperly. "You look like one of those superheroes!"

"'Superheroes'?" he asked, stiffening slightly.

"Yup! They're these animals that run around and save people!" she grinned. "They're really nice, too! One's almost a bit like you, too!"

"Like me…?" he asked in confusion.

"Yep," she replied, merry as usual. "I think you've just got different colours…"

Same form… different colours…

That rang a bell somewhere in Mephiles' head.

The girl stood up, covered in mud. She wiped herself off, then walked towards a small box on top of a crate. She started rooting through it as she continued.

"I can't remember his name… but he's pretty mysterious and closed off. We actually had an alien invasion a while ago, and he saved us all!"

 _Alien invasion…? …Argh, why can't I remember?!_

Mephiles looked annoyed with himself. Maybe she'd remind him somehow…

"I saw a gold light on that day, and I bet it was him! He kicked the evil guy's butt!"

"Did he?" Mephiles asked, sounding a little bored, albeit frustrated.

"Yup. So maybe you're like him? Maybe you're a good guy too!"

Mephiles rolled his eyes.

"Maybe…" he muttered, with a slight tone of sarcasm.

His reptilian eyes watched her cautiously.

"…Hmm… something dark… I remember everyone talking about it the other day…" she muttered, sounding a little annoyed too. "Nghh, geez, my memory is sooo bad, and… wait…"

She paused, then clicked her fingers.

"Shadow! That was it! Shadow!"

… _?!_

Mephiles tensed up visibly at the name, and suddenly, his cranium rattled. He held his head, closing his eyes and groaning quietly.

 _Shadow. Sonic. Silver. Iblis. Soleanna. Death. Elise. Refusal. Defeat. Escape…_

"Ah, there it is!" The girl pulled out a cold hot dog. "I ate the bun yesterday, see, so I could save some and wouldn't go hungr—…Mephiles?"

She turned around, looking concerned. She walked towards him slowly, hand out.

"You okay…—ngh…?!"

She had no time to speak another word. Something pierced her. Something sharp, something cold… Something aimed squarely at her head. Something red dripped down her forehead, and her body lurched involuntarily.

Mephiles had stabbed her.

He was stood up, staring down at her body as she hit the ground. His hand was part crystalline, and almost looked like something out of a nightmare. Then slowly, it all came to be… White-tipped purple crystals, spiking everywhere… red, stitched sclera, and piercing green eyes.

"Wh…y…?" she rasped, though the voice too weak to say anymore. She fell still.

"Consider this 'thanks'. Consider this me putting you out of your misery," Mephiles stated, eyeing her body ominously. "I could have dragged this out. I could have."

He squinted at her.

"You don't have to live your pathetic human life anymore."

With that, he walked towards the exit, staring at the horizon.

"And nor does this world need to live theirs," he snarled maliciously.


	4. Chapter 4

"You built this?"

"Well, kinda… It was actually Sonic's plane originally… I just kicked it up a notch."

"Looks like more than a notch to me…"

"Oh, you haven't seen anything yet!"

The kitsune was grinning triumphantly in the front seat, piloting the Tornado-1, a red plane that he'd had ever since that memorable event from years ago… meeting Sonic. Looking back at the human in the seat behind him, he gave a slight smirk as he refocused on the controls.

He pressed at a button instantly, and the plane jerked. The Doctor gripped the rim of the plane tightly as it tilted abruptly to the left, looking down. Quite a big drop… thank the man who invented seatbelts.

The red plane's front rotor slid into the vehicle, replaced by a sharp nose. The tail disappeared shortly after, ends becoming pointed as another set rose with a podium, and, finally, the wings twisted fluently, spinning until they formed a complete X. The Doctor heard a noise behind him, and glanced over his shoulder to see a rocket booster at the rear of the plane.

"Is that—well, well… don't normally see THOSE often outside the good ol' military, do you? Really decent SRB you got there, fox!"

"Ahaha…" Tails trailed off impishly, then glanced over his shoulder. "Th-thanks, I guess… I had to root around a lot for it."

"And the structure…! Brilliant! Astounding! See, the human race needs to give your kind credit: you're absolutely brilliant! Remind me to give you reference, courtesy of the Doctor!"

"Uh… thanks, I guess…" Tails sweatdropped.

"Very welcome," the man chirped, not seeming feigned by the boy's awkwardness.

Tails did a double-take, glancing forward to where his destination was. His hands tensed around the joystick, before he give an almost baffled smile, before muttering quietly, "…you really understand this, huh… hardly anyone does…"

"Of course I understand it! I'm brilliant!" The Doctor grinned, catching his underbreath comment, then paused, "…or just really, really smart. Never could tell the difference."

Tails chuckled to himself slightly. "It's really weird… you're smart, like I am… but you really remind me of Sonic…"

"The blue one? Yes, he was a bit perky, wasn't he…?" the Doctor mused, looking in deep thought.

"Perky is an understatement. You should see him when he's fighting Eggman. Like, REALLY fighting Eggman. There's anagrams, jokes, and puns flying around and everything."

"Always loved a good laugh; best thing in a dire situation, I say," the man replied with a smile, leaning back in his seat. He looked down at Westopolis below. "Unless you're, you know, certified insane. Then, it's not so good…"

"Uh-huh," the kitsune responded, nodding in affirmation. "That's the time to be unnerved. Unless your laugh sounds like Father Christmas'."

"…Does he really—?"

"Yep."

"Hm." The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "Well, that's new. I've had alien Santa Clauses and Angels but never evil villains with the laugh itself. He doesn't play Santa, does he?"

"I hope not," Tails responded, shivering slightly. "If he was, I wouldn't look forward to Christmas anymore. I mean, seriously, getting a Make-Your-Own-Gift-Explode fun pack would ward me off the whole thing." He coughed slightly. "…I'd see it coming from a mile away, of course. Totally not be tricked into thinking it's something so fantastically advanced I can tinker with..."

The Doctor smirked slightly at that.

"See, that's my reason for loving all these amazing civilisations," he chuckled to himself. "Your morbid curiosity of things. … You're not a cat, are you?"

"You didn't want to make with a saying, did you?" the fox replied heartily, narrowing one eye. "Because that's Sonic's thing. I'm a fox."

"Shame," his passenger chortled. "But don't think for a second I'm disparaging your genus of two-tailed foxes."

"I'm not offended at all," Tails chuckled, smiling meekly. "If anything, I'm jovially astonished at meeting such a perspicacious individual such as yourself."

His companion smiled widely.

"I'm the Doctor."

"Miles Tails Prower."

"Ooooh, nice name!"

"…I'd rather be called Tails, though… at least, that's what everyone calls me…"

"Oh? Well, Mr. Prower, Tails it is! My humble apologies! Now watch the skies!"

"Skies—?!" Tails jerked the plane a bit; they were almost going to crash into a building. "…oh, yeah… Sorry..."

"Is there usually so much smoke everywhere in America? Last time I came here, I think… old times… Manhattan, I think. Loads of weird things went on there… don't really visit that often."

Tails' eyes widened at below.

The inner city was a wreck, especially in the east park. Trees were scorched, bushes were hardly recognizable, and there was almost destruction at every turn. The landscape itself had been shut off to the public; children were whining behind the barricades to their mothers and fathers that they wanted to go to the park, but ultimately were ushered away by said parents, with promises of candy and other delights. It seemed to persuade some of them. The rest were not so fortunate as to believe even a bit of what their parents were saying, and nagged to the point of screaming. Whether it was for the park, feeding the ducks, or the ice cream, was to be debated.

Police officers surrounded the area, fiddling with their hats and keeping the crowd astray. The south side of the park housed several photographers, eager to get their hands on material, but the officers would not let them pass. Some made a break for it, and were just as easily dragged back to the outskirts of the barriers, getting 'free' rides in cop cars if they were lucky enough.

"It's a lot worse than when I left…" Tails muttered softly.

"All the more to investigate," the Doctor replied gravely. "Let's get down there."

"Y-yeah… Sonic and Shadow are probably already down there…"

The kitsune pulled a few levers, and soon enough, landed the bi-plane on a soft-grassed clearing, jumping out of it and hitting the ground with a gentle thud. He turned around, waiting for his friend, and to his surprise, he was already out and rushing past Tails.

"H-hey!" he yelped slightly. "Wait for me!"

The yellow creature stumbled after him, but caught up eventually; tagging along with Sonic had aided him in this useful ability.

The Doctor stopped at the foot of a clearing, where several bodies were lying, unconscious, and he glanced around with an urgent expression. After a couple or more glances, he frowned and his expression grew stern.

"It's come and gone," he muttered to himself. "It's angry, and it's come and gone… that isn't good… not good at all…"

"Tell me about it," Sonic spoke from behind him, walking towards the clearing's centre. "We missed the party. Well, I did. Fancy that…"

"Were you looking forward to it, hedgehog? There were a lot of casualties," Shadow muttered, stood to the side. He had a solemn expression on his face. "The Commander reported thirty-one thoroughly. He fears there to be more, and so do I."

Tails stumbled upon the conversation, and glanced around, a solid frown on his face. He remained silent, seemingly observant of his surroundings.

"So grim," Sonic replied with a shrug, strolling around the clearing and narrowing his eyes slightly. "We'll find him no problem; no worries."

"Then why are you standing around?" Shadow deadpanned with an almost annoyed expression on his face.

"I'm not. I'm walking," Sonic hummed. "We need more intel on this guy."

"Did you see it leave?" the Doctor asked, furrowing his brow. Sonic shrugged, and the timelord looked to Shadow. "Did _anyone_ see it leave?"

Shadow's expression hardened with concern. "The reports stated it used something akin to teleportation… no one has any idea where it went."

The Doctor's face wrinkled in frustration, and he ruffled his hair as he glanced around, his coat swishing behind him. "Brilliant… that's the bad kind of brilliant, by the way. You don't want to see anyone capable of this on a bad day…"

"Agent Shadow!"

"…? Yes?"

The black hedgehog turned his head slowly towards a man in uniform; it looked like a rookie, in Shadow's eyes, anyway. The young man had almost tripped just walking towards the black hedgehog, rather clumsily.

"We've found something of importance; perhaps even of relevance," the man stated, glancing at the group. "We—…are you authorized to be here?"

The Doctor rooted through his pocket, pulling out a wallet with a window, showing it to the man.

"John Smith," he began as the soldier squinted at his ID. "Reporting for duty. Well, investigating duty, that is—do go on!"

"…right," the rookie replied, nodding slightly. "We have reason to believe we have located an ancient artefact... uhh... very ancient..."

"So?" Shadow queried, lowering one eye ridge. "What is it, soldier?"

"It's dilapidated, at this very moment, but, um… I believe they refer to it as the Scepter of Darkness."

Shadow's eyes widened a tad, and he turned around fully with an almost shocked expression on his face.


End file.
